Although the present disclosure can be advantageously utilized in various types of vehicles, the problem to be solved with the present disclosure is elucidated below using the example of a motor vehicle in the form of an automobile with an electric parking brake.
In vehicles with an electric parking brake such as an electromechanical or electrohydraulic parking brake, a control element to be actuated by the driver of the vehicle such as a switch or button may be provided in the interior of the vehicle, wherein said control element is actuated by the driver when the vehicle is parked in order to activate the parking brake and to thusly prevent the vehicle from rolling away, for example, if it is parked on an incline.
In this context, it may be desirable to assist the driver of the vehicle to the effect that suitable measures are taken in case the driver forgets to activate the electric parking brake when exiting the vehicle, particularly in order to prevent the vehicle from rolling away.
For example, DE 103 23 976 A1 describes a method for activating or deactivating at least one function in a motor vehicle, in which the position of at least one identification transmitter is determined independently of a triggering event and at least one function of the motor vehicle is activated or deactivated in dependence on at least the determined position of the identification transmitter. If a) only one identification transmitter is detected and it is furthermore determined that this identification transmitter currently exits the vehicle or if b) it is determined that the driver's seat is not occupied and it is determined in addition to a) or b) that the vehicle has a speed other than zero, DE 103 23 976 A1 proposes to activate one or more of the following functions: decelerating the vehicle, shifting an automatic transmission into the parking position, engaging a gear in an automated gear box and/or engaging the electric parking brake.